Yay me, I finished a project this weekend!! I’m notorious for having numerous projects started that take me a while to finish. Sometimes it’s because I’m waiting for that ah-ha moment when I figure out how I want to finish it. Often, it’s because working and running my Girls to activities almost every night after school and most weekends, I just don’t have time.

Although I’m starting to get the hang of blogging, I don’t remember to take photos while putting things together. You’ll just have to use your imagination.

This project is not made from any repurposed materials; I had to truck myself to Lowes to get a 2 x 2, garment hooks, and a finial. I did have scraps of 2 x 8, 1 x 8, and base cap moulding that I used for the base.

While working on another project I had a vision for this. My original plan was to make a plain bright-colored coat tree for kids. In fact, I made it a comfortable height for my kids to hang clothes on (it’s 62 inches tall), but it’s still tall enough for me.

To make it:

I cut my 2 x 2 to the desired height, a 2 x 8 scrap into a square, then cut a 1 x 8 a little smaller to sit on top of the 2 x 8 to have a tapered look.

I glued the 2 x 8 & 1 x 8 together.

Once dry, I drilled a hole through the center of my glued pieces, the center of the 2 x 2, then screwed them together using a 3 inch wood screw (using glue to reinforce).

It wasn’t as sturdy as I would have liked, so I mitered scrap 2 x 2 into 4 pieces to fit on top of the 1 x 8 (and the base of the 2 x 2). I glued my mitered pieces and fit them in place. At this point, I used my level to assure the upright 2 x 2 was straight from all sides, and clamped it together. I attached the mitered 2 x 2s to the upright 2 x 2 with wood screws and to the 1 x 8 base with my finish nail gun.

It was much sturdier (and it was straight), but the scrap of 2 x 8 that I used for the very bottom was warped so the whole thing didn’t sit flat ( note to self – check that next time). I used my sander to help even out the bottom but thought it could still use a little more stability so I mitered base cap moulding to fit around the very bottom of the 2 x 8, glued & clamped, then nailed with my finish nailer.

I drilled a hole in the center of the top, applied glue and attached the final.

I liked the look, but it already turned out different that I envisioned so I had to think on the finish.

I spackled the holes where I’d glued and nailed, caulked any joined pieces, and once dry sanded. Then I spray painted my coat tree with Rust-Oleum Painters’ Touch in Heirloom White, sanded between coats and repeated.

The finish was a little too bright, so I sanded the edges and wiped on some Rustoleum Stain in Dark Walnut (and kept on wiping). I love the way it added detail to the base.

I made the coat tree because the idea was in my head waiting to come to life. I didn’t plan to put it in my house; I planned to sell it, but it works here – great place to hang my purse. I’ll have to think on it a couple of days.

The dresser in the photo belonged to my husband’s Grandmother. We need to refinish it – that will be a future project. We’re not experienced in refinishing so we’ll need to practice on something with less sentimental value. Stay tuned…

If you like my projects, please follow my blog. I’m working on putting together a give-away for my blog followers!

Tammy

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About southernflaircrafts

I am a very busy wife and mother of two beautiful little girls. I work part-time in a flexible position as an Office Administrator for a financial advisory firm; I love the work I do and am especially grateful that it allows me to be a Mom first.
I love to create!! Although I think my creativity was born with my first child, before children I would not have considered myself very creative.
My mind is always wandering ahead to my next project, whether it's woodworking, sewing, paitning, or crafting with my kids. I also love blog-hopping (and blogging - I'm learning as I go); sometimes I see things I know I have got to make or I see a great creation and am insprired with ideas of my own.
I especially like projects that rescue some treasure that would otherwise become another victim of the landfill.